David Carrick, a police officer, pleaded guilty to 24 counts of rape in the United Kingdom. (Mugshot via Hertfordshire Constabulary)
Disgraced police officer David Carrick, who has been called a “serial sex offender,” pleaded guilty to charges including rape and will face decades behind bars when he is formally sentenced next month.
“On behalf of the Metropolitan Police, I want to apologise to the women who have suffered at the hands of David Carrick,” said Assistant Commissioner Barbara Gray of London’s Metropolitan Police Service. “I commend their outstanding bravery in coming forward and reporting the horrific crimes they were victims of. Carrick is a prolific, serial sex offender who preyed on women over a period of many years, abusing his position as a police officer and committing the most horrific, degrading crimes. He has devastated women’s lives. He has had a devastating impact on the trust and confidence of women and girls that we are working so hard to earn. He has devastated colleagues.”
Carrick, 48, pleaded guilty on Monday to four counts of rape, indecent assault, and false imprisonment. He pleaded guilty back on Dec. 13 to charges including 20 counts of rape as well as controlling and coercive behavior. He is scheduled for a sentencing hearing to start Feb. 6, police said.
“He used the fact he was a police officer to control and coerce his victims,” Gray said. “We know they felt unable to come forward sooner because he told them they would not be believed. We should have spotted his pattern of abusive behaviour and because we didn’t, we missed opportunities to remove him from the organisation. We are truly sorry that Carrick was able to continue to use his role as a police officer to prolong the suffering of his victims. I would also like to recognise the work of the Hertfordshire Constabulary officers whose thorough investigation has meant Carrick’s victims have been spared the further ordeal of a trial.”
Authorities formally fired Carrick on Tuesday. His arrest in October 2021 marked the beginning of the end of his career, but police detailed a lengthy and disturbing history dating back to 2000, when an ex claimed his engaged in burglary and “malicious communications.”
He was not arrested, however. Nor was he arrested in 2002 when another ex accused him of assault and harassment.
“This [2002 incident] was after the start of his service as a police officer, but the matter was not referred to the Directorate of Professional Standards,” authorities wrote. “Information about this matter and our review of it has been shared with the Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC).”
He was “involved” in a domestic incident in 2004, but there was no criminal allegation. He was an initial suspect in a 2016 harassment case, but there was no arrest. He was allegedly kicked out of a nightclub while drunk in 2017. Again, no charges.
Then, in 2019, he allegedly assaulted a woman by grabbing her by the neck in a domestic incident.
“The matter was referred to the [Metropolitan Police] and Carrick was given words of advice in relation to informing his chain of command about off duty incidents,” police wrote. “Following the decision to take no further action in relation to the criminal allegation, it was determined he had no case to answer in relation to misconduct. Information about this matter and our review of it has been shared with the IOPC.”
Carrick was actually arrested in July 2021 by the Hertfordshire Constabulary regarding a rape allegation. The victim decided not to proceed in the case, but authorities spoke to her later as part of the current investigation. Carrick pleaded guilty in connection with that victim’s case.
Police also noted his alleged actions as a police officer.
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Between 2002 and 2008, members of the public made a total of five complaints against him, though none of them were sexual in nature.
“Two complaints alleged that Carrick had been rude in his manner towards members of the public,” they said. “These were investigated and dealt with by management action locally. Three further complaints, relating to incivility and use of force, were received but subsequently withdrawn or dismissed.”
“The duration and nature of Carrick’s offending is unprecedented in policing,” Gray said of the rape cases. “But regrettably he is not the only Met officer to have been charged with serious sexual offences in the recent past.”